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Can you believe your eyes? Positive schizotypy is associated with increased susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer

Orsolya Lányi1, Szabolcs Kéri2, Zsófia Pálffy3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Balassa utca 6, Budapest 1082, Hungary.

Schizophrenia Research
|January 12, 2024
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Individuals with high positive schizotypy show increased susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer visual illusion. This finding suggests a link between specific schizotypal traits and perceptual distortions, offering insights into schizophrenia-spectrum conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Visual illusions offer insights into cognitive and perceptual alterations in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions.
  • Schizophrenia patients often display heightened susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion.
  • Schizotypy, a personality trait related to schizophrenia, is explored in relation to visual illusion susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between varying levels of schizotypy and susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer visual illusion in the general population.
  • To determine predictors of susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion.
  • To explore potential links between perceptual anomalies, schizotypal traits, and visual illusion susceptibility.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based sample (N=263) was recruited via an online platform.
  • Participants completed assessments including the Müller-Lyer illusion task, the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS), and the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale - Brief (MSS-B).
  • Multilevel logistic regression models and model averaging were used to analyze the data and identify predictors of illusion susceptibility.

Main Results:

  • Increased susceptibility to the Müller-Lyer illusion was observed in individuals with high positive schizotypy.
  • No significant association was found between anomalous perceptions alone and Müller-Lyer illusion susceptibility.
  • Negative or disorganized schizotypy did not show a comparable effect on illusion susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • The heightened Müller-Lyer effect in positive schizotypy may be linked to specific traits like delusion-like beliefs and magical ideation.
  • Further research is recommended to understand how brain function models, such as Bayesian formulations, explain the Müller-Lyer effect in schizophrenia-spectrum conditions.
  • The study highlights the specificity of schizotypal traits in influencing visual perception.
Keywords:
Psychosis-spectrumSchizotypyVisual illusionsVisual perception

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